Get my 3 Things for Thursday

101 Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar, the amazing magical elixir. What can’t it do?

Natural mamas like us use apple cider vinegar for just about everything, from the expected (salad dressing) to the… surprising (cleaning the Mooncup). It’s like the Swiss Army knife of a real food kitchen.

But just how versatile is apple cider vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is something the mamas in my community talk about all the time. In fact, I give it a name check in part 2 of our Sh*t Crunchy Mamas Say series.

But just how many uses are there for apple cider vinegar? To find out, I asked our community on Facebook how they use ACV. The result? 492 comments.

Yep.

From the 492, we narrowed it down to a mere 101 uses for apple cider vinegar

Ready to dive in? Want to see if your suggestion made the cut? Start scrollin’, mama. 😉

Note that some of this user-generated content involve natural remedies. Of course, the information on this page is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Apple Cider Vinegar for Skin care

1. Eczema remedy

I dab ACV on my little one’s eczema. – Amber Nicole Snowder

2. Skin toner

I use equal parts water and ACV for a skin toner. – Vanessa Orlick

3. Natural astringent for acne

Mix 1 part water 1 part cider vinegar dip cotton ball apply to face until dry then rinse. -Sheena Struelens

4. Facial mask

I’m about to mix it with some green clay. -Aria Phillips

5. Mole remover

Dip a piece of cotton (I use a small piece if a cotton pad) in ACV, ring out a bit then place it on your wart, skin tag or mole, then place a bandaid over it. I like to leave it on over night. -Tanae Potter

6. Wart remover

7. Facial wash

Simply mix 1 part ACV and 2 parts water and rub on your face. Add some raw honey to the mixture if your skin is dry. Then rinse with warm water. -Lindsey Thomason

8. Make up remover

Mix 1 part ACV and 2 parts water. Dab a cotton ball with the mixture and swipe on makeup to remove. -Dimple Yadav

9. Soften skin

We even soak in it for our skin is so soft afterwards. -Brooke Wright

10. Sunburn

Soak washcloth and place on sunburn. Takes the sting out and reduces the redness. -Megan Brugge-Yardley

11. Healing all sorts of skin issues

-Tiffany Lang

12. Skin tags

Dip a piece of cotton (I use a small piece if a cotton pad) in ACV, ring out a bit then place it on your skin tag then place a bandaid over it. I like to leave it on over night. -Tanae Potter

Apple Cider Vinegar for Cleaning

13. Fabric Softener

I use 1 cup of ACV. -Coral Davison-Ray

14. Cleaner

Cleaning: Spray on surfaces, or pour on scrubby…add baking soda, scrub away. Pour down garbage disposal w/baking soda and a lemon. Let sit for a few minutes, then turn on the water and the disposal. – Sarah Buttell

15. Rinsing agent in washing machine

Add one cup of ACV to the rinse cycle. -Ceci Richardson

16. Cleaning the mooncup

Wash your menstrual cup in a 50/50 ACV and water mixture with some gentle soap. -Elísa Arnarsdóttir

17. Keep ants away

Ants avoid that stuff like its poison, just pour. -Teresa Munoz

18. Fruitfly trap / fly trap / gnat

In a bowl with plastic wrap on top tightly. Poke holes with tooth pick to catch flies. -Jennifer Duncan

19. Cleans humidifier

Remove the filter and rinse with water. Then add ACV to the tank of the humidifier and let sit for 30 minutes, swishing around occasionally. Rinse and dry. -Lacey R. Foster

20. Drain cleaner

Acv and baking soda to clear a clogged drain. -Deanna Moody-Linzmeier

21. Whiten laundry

I also put 1/4 cup in with my white laundry and baking soda to brighten it up. -Raquel Arteaga de Dicuru

22. Jewelry cleaner

Mix 1/2 cup ACV and 2 tbsp. baking soda and let silver jewelry sit in the mixture for a few hours. Rinse with clean water and dry and shine with a soft cloth. -Danielle Fantis

23. Weed killer

Just pour ACV on the weeds! -Bethany Holt

24. Cleaning menstrual sponges

Wash your menstrual sponge in a 50/50 ACV and water mixture with some gentle soap. -Elyse Fox

25. For cloth diapers

Add 1/2 cup to the first rinse of a load of cloth diapers. -Emily Blakey

Apple Cider Vinegar for Pets

26. Keep away cats

The cats aren’t fans, so we use it to keep them away from places they shouldn’t be! – Kate Parlee McCullough

27. Flea spray

Spray a 50/50 mixtures of ACV and water on your pet before they go outside.

28. Ward off parasites

I put a capful in my dogs water bowl. – Karen Lopez-Walker

29. Conjunctivitis of dogs

Mix 1 part ACV and 2 parts water. Dab a cloth in the mixture and apply BELOW the eyes. reapply every few hours. -Anny Chen

30. Ear mites in cats and dogs

50/50 acv and water rinse 2 times a day for 2 weeks. works like magic, and no trip to the vet! -Sarah Norton

42. Immune system building / booster tea

43. Tea/tonic/drinks

Drink 2 tbs. of ACV, 1 tbs. of raw local honey, 1 tsp. of cinnamon, and half a lemon to 1 cup of water. -Julia Olson

44. Energy drink

A teaspoon to a tablespoon of ACV in 8 ounces of water. With a tablespoon or so of raw honey, a splash of lemon juice, and a dash of ground ginger. Mix it all up and drink before every meal. -Amanda Hamilton

Apple Cider Vinegar for Beauty

45. For dry scalp / dandruff treatment

Add ACV to your shampoo before washing.

46. Hair rinse / hair wash / hair soak

I usually do about a cap full of it into a water bottle along with filling the bottle up to half with warm water and leaving it in my hair for a few minutes then rinse out. -Rhianna Marie

47. Cellulite cleanser

ACV helps break down fat in cells. Add a teaspoon of ACV to a cup of water every day. -Kinga Fronczak- Loforte

48. Gargle

Use a 50/50 ACV and water mixture to gargle with. -Kinga Fronczak- Loforte

49. Hair conditioner / detangler / hair spray

I dilute it with water and use it as conditioner. -Jennifer Kemp

50. Teeth whitener

Brush your teeth with ACV before you brush with regular toothpaste. -Rachel Goakes

51. Grow in balding spots of hair / helps fix alopacea

Add a teaspoon of ACV to a cup of water every day. -Kayleigh Hunt

52. Soften hair

Use a 50/50 mix of ACV and water as a hair rinse. -Lacey Macdonald Noran

53. Bath soak / detox bath

I use it in the bath as a detoxifying soak along with epsom salts and coconut oil, really helps with skin issues. -Natalie Grace

54. Set hair dye.

Dilute with water and rinse after dying, rinsing and conditioning. -Carin Najjar

Apple Cider Vinegar for Natural Remedies

55. Heartburn / fighting pregnancy induced heartburn

I mix a tablespoon of acv with a glass of freshly pressed apple juice and drink. -Danielle Jacqueline Whaley

56. For sore throats, coughs, lost voices

Hot water, 2 tbsps cider vinegar, 2 tbsps honey. -Casey-Jane Rand

57. Indigestion / upset stomach

I throw a tablespoon of ACV into my water every day to give it some flavor. -Michele Bath Kus

58. Fungus-like ring worm / kill toenail fungus

Soak feet every day in it. -Kylene Ward Alvich

59. Kill candida

Ingest a tablespoon mixed with water daily to rid body of candida overgrowth. -Laura Joseph Meehan

60. Dermatitis

Use it on contact dermatitis. -Denise Passero

61. Aches and pains (especially joint pain)

Consume 1 teaspoon mixed in a cup of water daily. -Amy Gray Quinn

62. Plantar wart removal

Soak for 10 mins each night before bed until gone. -Breanna Williams

63. Morning sickness

I put a teaspoon or so in a glass of water with a little stevia. It neutralizes the acid in the stomach! -Allisyn Krause

64. Acid reflux/GERD

I add one tablespoon to a glass of water and drink for immediate relief of acid reflux pain. -Jodi Jones

Lindsay Jan 20 at 4:41 am

TagBand@US Dec 15 at 5:23 am

Thanks for the advise. Apple cider vinegar is beneficial for health care. Due to presence of active ingredients It is great for many skin problems and infections. I used apple cider vinegar to get rid of dark spots and this method work perfectly for me.

Tricia Aug 8 at 8:53 pm

nikita Aug 4 at 10:27 pm

I have used ACV for many things for instance clearing up sinus infection, tonsilliti, weight loss, treating boils, toenail fungus, but the most surprising was when my 92 year old grandmother had gotten over shingles and doctors said there was nothing left to do to treat the post neuropathy (pain and itching after shingles) and we put ACV on it and it took it away almost instantly

Lori Jul 10 at 2:21 pm

Rosalie Caleb Jul 7 at 12:21 am

The list is very long, but it is pretty good on some of the recipes described. I’ll be using a lot of them. Starting tomorrow. Geeeeesh there’s more uses for ACV then I ever dreamed of. There’s some that will help me out. I’d be happy if they work. I will surely be back to let you know if it did.

Phyllis collngwood May 29 at 2:27 pm

I add a diluted tiny spritz to my cats water when I change it. We moved into a heavily infested house. So bad had to leave her in kennel 10 days so she wouldn’t get reinfested while I got the place treated, 3 times by a pro service before cleared. Even though I know still have problem, that tiny. I said use tiny amount in her water has made her taste so icky that she’s had no problems since. The fleas won’t go away. Sandy,, damp soil and everyone else has indoor-outdoor dogs as opposed to my strictly indoor cat. And, I hate spraying poisons all over my yard every few days.

Nchedo Angeline Nwagu May 23 at 8:12 pm

Ben Mar 29 at 7:06 am

Apple cider vinegar is very popular remedy for many skin diseases. I’ve just recently treat skin tags by using this. It is effective, it has removed some of the skin tags on my neck with regular usage.

Theresa Muise Mar 4 at 9:29 am

. I use it with a cotton pad to remove dark spots caused but aging. I have just started using it with water and honey on an empty stomach in the morning. I like it as is but addingI cinnamon sounds good so I will try that now.

Deanna B. Aug 9 at 2:31 pm

I just started using it for age spots. I just pour some of the ACV in the lid of the bottle, dip my finger (or a cotton swab would work) in it and dab it on the spots. Started to notice the difference within 24 hours!

Theresa Muise Mar 4 at 9:26 am

I use Vermont Village organic ACV. It covers all the check marks. I use it with a cotton pad to remove dark spots caused but aging. I have just started using it with water and honey on an empty stomach in the morning. I like it as is but addingI cinnamon sounds good so I will try that now.

Mel Feb 8 at 8:38 pm

Linda Vaughan Feb 7 at 10:44 am

Lisa Green Jan 26 at 2:41 pm

Was searching for apple cider vinegar uses and found this article. 101 uses wow! who knew!

But I think you forgot one use so it can be 102 🙂

It’s also good for sleeping, 2 tbps of apple cider vinegar with 1 tbps of honey in hot water before sleep works better than sleeping pills and much more healthy. Google for apple cider vinegar sleep, I learned about it from Tim Ferriss.

Shonna Jan 8 at 9:12 pm

Ladyk Sep 22 at 11:13 am

I’ve lost 56 pounds with acv in am and pm. I have made a little recipe that I like. Acv, tumuric, v coconut oil, ginger root, green or chamomile tea, lemon juice, and add garlic if your feeling a bit under the weather 😆

Chantelle Dec 12 at 12:38 pm

Debbie Dec 3 at 9:41 am

I work with a handicapped man, who uses in dwelling cath. He was always having a bladder infection. I put him on 1t actv , 8 oz h2o. They bladder infections went completely away. He drinks it every day!

Jamie Nov 20 at 7:28 am

I used ACV a couple years ago for a toothache! I had a cracked tooth that was causing intense pain. I swished a TBS of ACV every couple hours until I could get to the dentist to repair my tooth. It was amazing how well it worked to relieve the pain!

loril Oct 30 at 2:31 pm

Elaine Dolan Oct 14 at 3:27 am

I had sinus problems since my teenage yrs, since using Acv for 3yrs my sinus problems are gone. I was recently on a long haul flight from Australia to Europe, my nose was blocked and i had those typical pains in my face and head (sinus points).I took the Acv for 2days and all my symptoms disappeared. I had a brain hemhorrage some years ago with headaches for years later, when i started taking Acv my headches dissappeared. Im surprised that it wasn’t mentioned here. Acv also helps to clear abcesses due to Hs and keeps them at bay,I have been told. I wouldn’t be without it. Hope this helps, regards Elaine Dolan

Jacquie Aug 26 at 6:07 pm

Leslie Murray Sep 25 at 6:46 pm

Hi there!!

Oh I need help! Any advice to get my 8 month old sons rash to go away on his genitals?? I thought it was a bad case of diaper rash, but it just won’t go away. I have tried a lot of ointments. I think it may be yeast. Can I use Apple Cider vinegar on it directly? Give him a bath in it? Me drink it and it go through my breastmilk? How do I heal his yeast infection if that’s what it is? Naturally? Oh it’s so frustrating! His little penis and testicles are so red and you can tell it hurts him. Any advice? Thanks so much in advance!! Love your site! You encouraged me to have a no epidural birth, and I did!!! yay!! Thank you for all of your info on your videos! it helps me a lot!

Sorry to hear! You could dilute raw ACV (1 TB in 1 cup of water) and apply after each diaper change. Speaking of which, let him go without a diaper as much as you can (hopefully, it’s still warm where you are!) and let the area breath. You can then apply raw coconut oil to the area. If you are breastfeeding, use my nipple cream recipe as this will help too. Flood your body with probiotics and reduce your sugars too. Hope this helps!

Tenielle Feb 16 at 1:16 pm

You can also use scorched flour, in which it will clear up diaper rash within one night. Put flour in a small frying pan under low-med fire and stir with a spoon consistently as it browns. Once all of it has reached a light-med brown, remove and let it cool. Apply directly to the rash and it will vanish overnight. You can put the remainder in a jar or ziploc bag for future use. I got this old natural remedy from my grandmother years ago and it has never failed.

Laura johnson May 15 at 1:12 pm

Is their anything in this world for intense itching?? Been to dry. Tried all the powders, ointments, pills and potions. Can’t stand this nightmarish itching any longer. Please suggest something. Will parched flour help?? Thank you

Makayla Sep 6 at 5:35 pm

Melissa Roberts Aug 30 at 2:27 pm

What brand do you suggest of ACV. For anytime I ingest it I use Braggs from the mother ACV but if I want to start using it for my body or for other common uses would a large bottle of other brands ACV work the same? Braggs is amazing but expensive if I’m going to start using it all the time for a list of different things.

Team Mama Natural Jul 28 at 12:56 pm

Izrili Jul 12 at 9:53 pm

Mike64Denver Jun 21 at 9:24 pm

In 1 pint of ACV I soak 8 ounces of refrigerated bee pollen for 1 day to make the nutrients more bioavailable. Then I add 30 ml and one ounce organic concord grape juice frozen concentrate to a high ormus salt water sole made from 1/2 celtic, 1/4 dead, and 1/4 Himalayan salts. The bee pollen, grape juice, and salts are high in the supernatural miracle called ormus.

Sarah May 9 at 4:25 am

Amanda Apr 3 at 9:53 pm

I made a cure my cough and cold tea. I simmered 2 lemons, 2 limes squeezed the juice first, a whole bulb of garlic peeled and smashed, 1″ of ground ginger root. simmered for 5 min, strained, then added 1/2 cup ACV and 1/2 cup raw local honey. I drink 1/2 cup 2-3 times a day chased with a glass of water. This helped calm my cough and drain my sinuses.

Emily Mar 27 at 5:09 pm

Apple cider vinegar actually saved my gums during pregnancy! I use that s**t for EVERYTHING. Drink it, eat it, bathe in it. I also use it as an astringent. The only thing I don’t use it for is cleaning. I’m quite poor, so regular gallon sized dollar distilled white does that job.